Dragon Age Champion Rising
by fanboy913
Summary: The sins of the father bound in blood change and shape the rise of the Champion, how will he face his new life in Kirkwall whilst holding back one of the greatest forces of darkness the world has ever seen?


This idea got stuck in my head and I decided why not it sounds cool to me any and all likeness to other stories and anime's is purly unintentional or at least gleaned from a safe distance anyway enjoy.

Dragon Age Champion Rising

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Chapter 1 Sins of the Blood

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"Push" said the midwife "Come on Leandra" the old women whispered "almost there" Malcolm Hawke stood to the side watching his wife in labor as his insides knotted up. It was frustrating to know that for all his magic and power he could do nothing for his wife as she fought through a process as old as time itself.

"Don't worry dear" the mid wife was saying "Your doing great"

Malcolm took and enormous breath as the tension built it was one thing for a first pregnancy to be a single birth, it was quite another for it to be twins. Time seemed to crawl as he stood there to the side, as his wife screamed again with pain he dug his fingernails into his hands drawing blood that pattered to the floor. It was this small action that saved his soon to be son's life, he had never told anyone this but ever since he had been forced to reseal Corypheus with that cursed magic of the blood there had been a small change in him.

He did not believe that blood magic was inherently evil but he did believe that it was far too easy to use it for such. However he was starting to question that believe when his magic started changing, nothing large or complicated but whenever he cut himself accidently or otherwise he gained a strange sight. He literally had to fight not to be pulled into the fade and even then as long as he oozed blood the world around him became hazy and allowed him to catch glimpses into the fade itself.

He was not sure where it had come from only that it had started happening after he left that cursed prison where the Grey Wardens held that thing. He wondered if all blood mages had this problem or if it was the from something else entirely. All in all it was a bloody annoyance, with a sigh he reached for something to bandage him when his eyes passed over his wife.

Her form was hazy and almost misty, instead of the bed she lay on, her body was on and alter in the middle of a circle of grass that stopped five feet from her and turned into floor boards. In the sky's background he noticed that black city. The towering sight that anyone could see from anywhere in the fade. But that was not what made his heart stop cold, in the distance coming up a path he could make out a figure walking slowly towards his wife.

The feeling he knew all too well of the presence of a demon filled his senses, without any hesitation he stopped fighting the force that wanted to pull him into the fade. His body collapsed as his mind left, later the mid wife would joke about how he had fainted. Not realizing that he had left for the fight of his life.

* * *

In the fade things looked different, as they always did now he found himself standing in a large grassy field stretching for miles in all directions. The Alter he had seen was there but Leandra's body had disappeared, now only a mist in the form of a body lie upon it and faintly he could still hear her cries of pain. Inside the mist were her womb would be were two glowing balls of light one blue the other pink that glowed as bright as tiny stars with mana the power of magic.

The figure came to a stop as he appeared, the purple skin, long horns, purple flame that replaced where hair should have been, the bare minimum clothing all pointed to a text book case of a desire demon. Malcolm let the rage and fear for his wife course through his body as he reached for his mana the sky darkening and a chill flowing through that air as he transformed his magic into winter's fury.

The Desire Demon raised a hand "Hold Mortal I would have words with you" He barely let her finish that sentence before he unleashed his spell one her. The Demon sighed and with an annoyed gesture sent her own magic into the air, it mixed with the blizzard and somehow destroyed the spell.

She opened her mouth to say something else but instead met face to face with a screaming fire ball that knocked her back.

Malcolm kept his face calm and composed as he readied another spell but inside he was terrified absolutely terrified. When he had been but in apprentice at the Circle in Kirkwall he remembered his mentor speaking with the first enchanter about her studies in an old magic. It had been said that the Tevinter magister's of old had created a form of magic that somehow had the ability to counter active attack magic not by using equal force but by breaking the spell at its core with a will placed shift of energy. His mentor had stopped when somewhere along in her studies she had discovered that the Magister's had learned it from an ancient demon and further more that it was the only way to learn it.

He had no doubt that his spell had been countered and rather easily at that and he was terrified because when the demon had done so he had caught a glimpse of her power and it was enough to freeze his heart in fear.

The Demon walked back to where she had been with no marks on her smooth skin where the fire ball had hit and stared at Malcolm waiting for the next spell. He just stood there fearful and afraid gathering mana but not unleashing it.

"Wise mortal" the demon said "you know fear, that is good"

She bowed her head slightly "I am Camille, Malcolm Hawke"

He managed to hiss out "How to you know my name."

She laughed "Many of my kind know your name mortal, not many mages use that particular brand of magic you used to seal away poor Corypheus."

"It was only a binding" Hawke snarled the fear for his wife and children burning away fear from his flight or fight reflex.

"Yes it was" she said sensually "But to bind a something such as him a mortal who has tasted the power of the Black City it takes so much more."

She began to walk closer and Malcolm snarled a word and a large fist sized chuck of earth shoot towards Camille" he well knew that any big spell would be destroyed before it could do any damage so he instead relied on fast acting spells. The demon leapt back and to the side as the blast of earth passed "It does not have to be hard Malcolm" she purred "Haven't you been wondering about the change in your magic? I could tell you and I could give you so much more, power and magic unseen since the days of old Tevinter."

Had he not been defended his wife and children that might have made him pause if you to fight off the honeyed affects of her voice. But right know with him standing between his the love of his life and there soon to be children the voice of the demon more powerful than any he had ever seen shattered like glass on his mind.

"And all for the low, low price of my soul right?" he snipped

"Don't be so dramatic" she purred "Not your soul, your child's either one will do, they both burn with your magic and of course your taint"

The air around Malcolm shimmered "What" he whispered.

"When you resealed Corypheus you took on part of his taint, the taint of the black city that in turn was passed on to your children. It of course will disappear the moment they are born, after all they have far less of it than you. But what it means is that while they are in this state they can do something mortals have never been able to do not in the history of this world."

Her eyes widened to and her breathing quickened "They can be hosts for us, we the forgotten, we the first, we the powerful, we the fallen." She said those last words in a whisper that somehow rang sharper and louder then her laugh just moments ago. "Do you have a deal?" she purred

The air around Malcolm shimmered like stars and a large black staff appeared in his hand "Never" he hissed and unleashed a lightning bolt. With a sigh she batted it to the side with her bare hand, spinning Malcolm unleashed his power creating a ward between his wife and the demon.

He looked back into to see purple lighting gather in Camille's hand. Thanking the maker that he was in shape and not one of those wheezing wizards he dived out of the way as the lighting rent the earth he had been standing on. Rolling and landing on his knees he fired a small bolt out of his staff that smacked into the she demon's arm knocking her next spell off course. Purple fire zipped passed his ear and exploded in the back ground.

A storm had gathered whilst they had been talking, that in it of itself was the second thing he had never seen in the fade. Taking advantage he raised his staff and sent a small part of his mana into the storm, he let out a cry and thunder answered a torrent of bolts crashing down out from the sky into his staff. Redirecting it through his left arm he unleashed it against the she demon. Just in time too she had been gathering power from something big and looked ready to use it when the raw lighting of the fade smashed into her chest and blasted her back twenty feet large scorch marks burned into her chest.

She snarled in anger and launched the magic in her hand at Malcolm a purple ball of pure energy, not having time to dodge he summoned forth his arcane shield angling it so the ball did not hit directly rather glanced off. Still it nearly destroyed him on contact only his last second angling saving his life, Camille was back on her feet looking at him and waved her hand. His shield flickered out of existence just before another ball of energy was flung at him. Calling on the earth at his feet he leapt with the ground up heaving giving him extra distance. He landed in a roll in time to see where he had been standing vanish in a ten foot sphere of death.

Even as he rolled to his feet he knew he had to make a choice, all ready his magic was running low and he needed to keep fighting. But the only way he knew how was blood magic, turning his own life force into power. He had sworn never to use it again but hearing his wife's cries and the thought of his children's life's made the decision for him. Hell if blood magic dammed his soul he was lost already and there was no way he would this thing to take his child.

Blood flowed from the cuts on his hand congealing into gelatinous blobs, with a cry they he fired them forward and the spattered against the she demon. Then they exploded in a shower of red blood and force. The demon stumbled back purple blood oozing from where his attack had hit, the first real damage he had inflected this battle. He wanted to scream in frustration that a redirected lightning bolt with the power of erase boulders had done less than a few drops of blood and a bit of magic.

Strangely enough Camille did not look angry at the wound only smiling at Malcolm "Strange" she said " I thought you mortals considered true magic the same as summoning my kind."

He was about to say something witty back when the cry of a child sounded across the veil, the both turned to look at the altar, the pink ball of energy had left the mist figure of his wife and congaed into the mist form of a small baby. With a smile he turned to face the demon who was staring at him with eyes wide. "You, your"

"Stalling, you demons have a warped sense of time living in the fade and all that"

With a snarl of rage the she demon waved her hand and a wall of purple force shot towards him he recreated his shield enforcing it with his blood mere moments before the wall smashed into him. He would never know how he held against that torrent of raw force but somehow by the will of the Maker he held. His eyes were slightly unfocused but he saw Camille walk towards he ward pass her hand over it and shatter it like so much fine china.

Somehow he found the strength to run but he did, the demon loomed above his wife and reached out grasping the blue ball of light wand with a contented sigh transformed into purple light and began to flow into the blue ball, with a cry of rage and anger Malcolm lashed out with his blood encircling the demon like a rope and found himself pulled in along with her.

* * *

They both appeared in a void covered in mists and veils of smoke, the demon glanced at the rope of blood encircling her and Malcolm noted that somehow it was holding her in place not allowing her to move. But apparently she could still talk "What do you plan to do mortal? The moment I entered here I became part of this child, there is nothing you can do to reverse that and your pitiful binding will not hold me much longer."

Malcolm glared equal parts rage and fear filling his mind, her corruption had not spread yet which meant for the moment his child was safe. But the moment the baby was born he would most likely be forced out of this place which he could only guess was his child's unformed soul. He had only moments and he did not know what to do, he felt grief choke his throat what could he do.

Suddenly something clicked in his head, not his own idea that was for sure but something else's along with the idea came the simple words "Keep faith" flared through his mind.

His eyes set into a glower of concentration and he raised his voice blood pouring from his hand into an ever widening circle. "Be bound here for eternity, hunger stilled, rage smothered, desire dampened, pride crushed. By the blood of the black city in the name of the Maker, so let it be."

Wind howled and blood flowed, the demon screamed in agony, Malcolm reached into the formless void of his unborn child finding the pathways of magic and power the coursed through the void. He knew well that his magic would fade eventually and the seal he had just created would fail. So instead he changed the flow of magic, this child would never be a mage he or she would never control the forces of magic for the now instead of the mana created by the body flowing through the child, it would flow to the seal.

The very one created in this child's soul that flow of magic would keep the demon at bay. And when the child died the demon would die with it. He stumbled as he felt himself being pulled out, the demon screaming curses at him a nameless tongue not known to man. As the blackness covered his sight he whispered "In the name of the Maker so let it be" and he knew no more.

* * *

He awoke with a grown of his head throbbed with agony he realized that he was lying in his bed with a warm presents beside him. He opened his eyes weakly the midwife Greta that was here name was standing over him with a cool washcloth. Seeing he was awake she muttered "Wimp" before saying "He's awake darling though I told you he would not be able to take watching the birth."

His wife murmured a word of thanks as he looked over at the two bundles in her arms both happily sucking at her breasts. "Tis a boy and a girl" Greta said "and both healthy and strong"

Which one came out second? Malcolm murmured

"The boy why?"

"Nothing" he said turning over to look at his children, the both looked healthy and strong not a hint of what had happened showing visibly on either one. He nodded to himself and prayed to the Maker that it would work, he sensed no power of the demon on his son but that meant nothing right now, it was his magic holding it back he would have to wait and see if the boy's own power would be enough to hold it back.

And he prayed all the harder not wanted to face what he would have to do if the seal failed, silently he prayed and tears began to stream down his face as he prayed harder than any other time in his life hoping that the future bring hope and not the nightmare he envisioned. Holding his wife and children he prayed and cried as the morning sun began to rise in the distance and the world was strangely silent as the day began.

* * *

**Twelve Years Later **

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"But father I don't see why I have to learn magic with Bethany, I can't even do magic." Malcolm sighed as he looked at his oldest son, the boy was four foot six and had jet black hair cut to a uniform length, his eyes were a shade of purple Malcolm had never seen in anyone else and the lad was well built.

The boy was perfectly valid in his statement he could not do any magic not even the simplest. Why should he have to learn something he could never use? But it was important; he was not arrogant enough to believe the demon sealed inside his son's soul would remain quite much longer. So far these past twelve years his magic had held, at least for the most part his son Garrett Hawke was different from others his age. For one he was smart, Maker he was smart, books the inner workings of magic, the practical problems of how to fix a wagon he knew and understood them all.

Add to that he was strong, strong enough to lift and swing a two handed great sword that his soldier friend he had made just days after moving to this small village was teaching him to use. And he was fast faster than any child his age in the village and even though they would never admit it faster than the adults too.

He was ever the handful for his poor parents getting into scraps with others, discovering how to use deathroot way the hell to early and the list went on and on. But despite all this he was a nice lad, all the scrapes he ever got into were no of his own choosing every time they were either to protect himself, Bethany, or Carver.

Even from the time he was little he seemed to understand that it was his duty to protect his siblings and he worked hard at it. Several times even managing to fool full grown and experienced Templers off his or Bethany's scent.

But there were other things too, animals hated him and all save one Mabari pup reacted to his presents with fear and anger. Another was that if Malcolm looked into the fade he could see many, many sprits around were his son walked, sprites of faith, valor, justice, charity all existed in the fade next to his son.

The upside was that they protected his child's mind when he journeyed to the fade in his dreams, the down side was that the fade was permanently weaker in the twenty or so feet around wherever his son was which attracted demons like a moths to a flame in the fade. So far his bodyguards, that was the only thing Malcolm could think to call the sprites had held off all the assaults. But he well knew it only took one slipup to bring disaster.

And the final and strangest thing about his son was that fact that he understood anything he heard no matter the language and could answer back in the same. He did not seem to find that strange so Malcolm did not say anything about it not wanted to draw attention to that.

But back to his child's question he knelt down to be on his son's level "Son" he said "There are things that you do not understand but for now you must learn. You're going to have to trust me on this ."

The boy looked at him with way too much understanding in his eyes and nodded with a sigh then asked "Can I go play with Fang later"

Fang was the name he had given his Mabari and Malcolm though it suited the pup well "We will see" he said and with a pat on the shoulder they began to walk to the clearing where Bethany was waiting.

* * *

**Two Years later **

* * *

With a sigh Garrett looked into the little mirror that hung in his bedroom, they had just finished moving again now this was happening. The thing he had been dreading ever since reading about it when he was ten, puberty. He had noticed his voice starting to crack at random times and that his emotions had been going crazy. And this morning when he had woken up to a enormous pain in his groin that had settled it he was starting to become a man.

Shaking his head her glanced over at the large broadsword in the corner of his room, it had been a parting gift from his friend and teacher Hackett a grizzled old soldier who had fought in the war against Orlais many years ago. It was six feet long and heavy enough that he could barely hold the damn thing, it was forged of solid black steel with a silver braided hilt. It had words burned into its side written in an old tongue that Hackett knew not. But he could read it thought he did not know how he could or what language he was speaking the words simply said "Always Faithful"

"Garrett" his mother called

"Coming Mom" he answered back heading out of his and Carver's room to the kitchen.

"Yes" he asked reaching it.

"I'm sorry honey I know it's your day off but Greta"

He interrupted her "Needs two onions, three tomatoes, a stalk of celery and nugmeat."

She blinked "How could you possible know"

He pointed to his nose "I know most of her dishes by smell now"

"What am I to do with you" she said ruffling his hair, she handed him a purse of money "Now since you know what you need hop to it."

"Yes Mother" he said and walked out the door, this time they were at a place just outside of Denerim and it was not a long walk to the city. That had made mother happy as she was able to find a few things from Kirkwall at the imports shop. He wondered if he would ever see the city of his mother's birth, anyway.

With a woof Fang appeared out of the woods next to the road looking very pleased with itself, with a laugh Garrett lightly cuffed it on the ear "What have I told you about the that female Mabari she belongs to someone else."

Fang started to whine and he relented saying "Well I suppose she doesn't mind it so much otherwise she would not let you keep coming back."

He got a happy Woof in reply, and so boy and dog walked down the dusty well used road to Denerim without a care in the world. Up ahead just exiting the gate he say a horse drawn carriage round the corner. There was not enough time to react, he was well awhere of the fact that animals hated him he was not sure why and that saddened him somewhat, after all he liked animals.

That was way he counted Fang as one of his greatest blessings, the only creature comfortable around him. As the horse caught sight him it reared and bucked shaking the carriage and its riders. Trapped between houses and feeling that it would look stupid if he turned around he tried to pass by it quickly. That turned out to be a mistake as the horse went into a blind panic bucking and rearing parts of the carriage snapping as it struggled.

As he passed by it hit tore off the reins holding it and lashed out at him wildly with hind legs, seeing it in time he dropped to the ground and they passed over him harmlessly. Fang however did not take it nearly so well, as the horse broke free he launched himself at it with a snarl of pure rage. The horse not being stupid began an all out run towards the gate and away from the raging Mabari. Fang gave chase until Garrett called out for him to stop and he reluctantly returned.

Out of the carriage a youngish looking man with red hair stormed out, doing so a hint to fast and falling into the mud. Garrett unable to resist laughed and so did Fang in the strange way Mabari's do. The man picked himself up screaming for guards to come clean him off, thundering that he would have the hide of whoever built the carriage.

The man happened of glance over and notice him laughing and stalked over to eyes narrowed "What's so funny brat" he hissed.

Garrett gave him the up and down the answered " I only laugh because your look is most likely not the fashion of Orlesian Court"

The man blinked as if he did not get it, the realization dawned on him that Garrett was making fun of him and his eyes narrowed in rage. "Do you know who I am boy!" he snarled

Way to good to pass up "The Arl of Mudwallow?" he asked

Several of the city guards who had shown up started laughing at that statement and the Man's face went livid "I am Bann Vaughan heir to the arl of Denerim" Garrett smiled "Good for you, all bet daddy's very proud, now if you'll pardon me I have nugmeat to go buy."

He turned and left the noble there mouth open as he walked to the produce market, he did not the incident a second thought as he went about buying the food for dinner. It was coming on evening when he left the market carrying the bags full of produce. The shadows case by the woods next to the road were long and the land was strangely silent, almost too silent he glanced at Fang who was walking a weary gait head up and sniffing the air.

As he looked around he thought he saw movement in the tree line then there was a flicker of light. Suddenly a very strong very powerful very female voice echoed through his head "Move now" Instinct took over as he dived to the side, the flash of light tore passed him burying itself in a fence post revealing a crossbow bolt. Fang reacted instantly charging forward with a snarl disappearing in the forest.

He barely had time to wonder "Who the hell was shooting at me" Before the hair on the back of his neck stood up and he dived forward. A man appeared from the shadows a knife gleaming with poison passing over where his body had been. His attacker was fast moving only two paces to catch up with him, cursing that he did not have his sword Hawke leaned back just as the knife flashed towards him.

Deciding that standing there fighting and experienced assassin was a hopeless cause in and of itself, he did the only smart thing a fourteen year old would do run like hell. Thank the Maker he was fast, despite the man being in the prime of his life and well conditioned Hawke was able to out run him. Slowly inch by inch the assassin started to fall behind.

Hawke noticed his house up ahead and made a quick decision not to head towards it, endangering his family was the last thing he wanted to do. However fate was not on his side this day, at the moment he passed the house Bethany appeared exiting the gate. "Garrett what's" she started to say. Instinct warned him that the man chasing him would not leave any witnesses alive, making a sudden turn he pushed her back into the yard half hauling half throwing her towards the house.

"Run, get in the house" he screamed, the panic in his voice must have affected her because she did as he requested. With mere moments to spare he glanced around the yard eyes falling on his wooden practice broadsword deciding that it was better than nothing he picked it up whirling in time to see the man round the corner and hurl a second knife at him.

He knocked it to the side with his blade, the weight of the blade bringing comfort to him. His breathing slowed his eyes focused the fear drifted away. The assassin laughed and approached him with just a hint too much arrogance. He entered that range of the blade and Hawke lunged, much faster than a kid his age should have been able. The point of the blade took the man right between the second and third rib, if it had been a real sword the battle would have ended right then and there. But as it was Hawke pressed his advantage as the man stumbled back with a single step forward he brought his sword down on the man's wrist nearly snaping it in half the knife falling to the ground. The assassin let out a howl of pain and grasped his wrist with his good hand, Hawke took full advantage bringing his blade up and around swinging full force into the man's neck. His attacker went out like a light falling to the ground neck bent at an odd angle. Hawke stared at the face pale and felt nausea rise in his stomach he had never killed a man before.

But even then there was no time two more men rounded the corner both armed with crossbows and both pointed at him. Even as he realized there was nothing he could do he heard a cry "Get away from my brother!" and a ball of flame flashed over his shoulder smashing into the closet attacker, the man died instantly while the other stumbled back from the force of it. He recovered and razed his crossbow aiming at Bethany who was standing in the door way practice staff out from when she had attacked. Hawke eyes wide with fear managed to interpose his body between Bethany and the assassin just before he fired his bolt, the moment the trigger depressed something clicked in his head.

The world slowed down the bold moving no faster than a snail sprinting. The world went a hazy red and blue lines formed a square around the flying blot on each corner glyphs the size of a human palm appearing. Somehow he knew what they meant, as if he was reading a book and they were words. A female voice sounded in his head "Wood, Steel, Feather, Force" he realized that the voice was naming the glyphs he saw "Existence analyzed," the glyphs shot to the center all mixing in to one new glowing red glyph that somehow incorporated every meaning of the originals. "Return to what was, Counter" the voice said.

The red left the world and the bolt disintegrated the metal head turning into fine dust, the wooden shaft to sawdust and the feathers were shredded. Whatever force driving the bolt was diverted and the remains fell to the ground in a heap. Hawke, Bethany and the assassin just started at the pile in shock, both recovered at the same time the man dropping his crossbow and trying to draw his sword. A brown flash smashed into the assassin's side bearing him to the ground. Fangs teeth found the man's throat and a shower of blood erupted signifying his end.

Silence fell broken by Bethany's small scared voice "Brother what happened?" she asked staring at the carnage before them. Hawke felt weak, ever so weak but he still managed his wisecrack of day "I think this means were moving again sister" before falling face first into the dirt was blackness took him.

* * *

When he opened his eyes to a multicolored sky he had to blink in surprise, "_this had to be a dream_" he thought as he watched a lightning bolt spin in a circle before vanishing in a puff of smoke. "_Though that would be strange_" he thought because as of the first twelve years of his life he had never experienced a dream before. He had even asked father what was wrong with him, to which he had been given some vague answers that really answered nothing.

The other reason he thought this was not a dream was because he did not hurt at all anywhere and he distinctly remembered blinding pain before he lost awareness. From behind him a voice spoke out and it almost made him jump. "I was wondering when we would have this talk"

He turned around mouth going off before he could stop himself "Better tell the beekeepers that the honey you stole was put into your tongue." He almost flinched as he beheld a desire demon sitting quite calmly in the center of the grassy mindscape he was in. He blinked once, then blinked again then sighed saying "I know I'm going through puberty but this is just sad."

The demon laughed aloud and it was almost a pulling force that almost made him take a step towards it "No, no dear host I have not called you for that. Thought if you let me out I would be quite happy to oblige"

"Um…I'll pass" Hawke muttered

"Pity, I have not tasted that particular mortal fruit in ages"

"Right" Hawke said "For a figment of my imagination you sure sound like a real demon"

"O but I am real host, for the first time since the beginning I am real." The demon sighed standing up and making it look really tempting at the same time, thought that was not hard when it looked like the robe was about to fall off at the slightest sudden movement. The demon gave him a frustrated look "But too long I have been away from the mortal plane, I had forgotten how much power comes from a parents love of their child."

"What are you" Hawke started to ask, but suddenly the dreamscape shook and a black rip appeared it the air to Hawke's left.

Out of it stepped his father a terrified and desperate look on his face. When he saw his son standing there and the seal not yet broken that terror left with a word of power invisible force yanked his son away from the demon and behind him. "A good the tainted mage has appeared"

Malcolm's voice rang out "You will not have him"

The demon laughed "That's not your choice anymore mortal, that choice belongs to my host now."

Malcolm's eyes narrowed but he had no answer to that because she was right, the last of his power had faded and now his son was the jailor now. Rather and explain to his son what was happening here were the demon had influence he decided it was best to explain what was happening in the real world. Turning he placed his hand on his son's forehead and with an effort of will forced him out of the prison. Just before his son had completely left the demon called out saying "Remember young host my name is Camille call on it when you desire power"

Malcolm snarled a nameless curse as the demon who was smiling at him "At first mortal I was angry you had done this to me." A long bright smile made its way across the thing's face "But it turned out for the best my power has grown far beyond anything it was before."

Malcolm reached out with his senses and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, where he was a pond of mana this thing was an ocean perhaps this was what it was like for the grey wardens to face and archdemon. He let no emotion cross his face but something must have shown in his eyes because the demon spoke "No not in that way mortal, honestly too few of your kind value the truest power" her eyes glittered "Knowledge"

"You were much weaker before" he countered

"No I was not, I was simply that I had to use most of my power to transport myself to the area of the fade your children were present at." She sighed "Honestly it takes a great deal of power to enter or leave the black city." her smile became a sharper "You faced only a fraction of my power, though the fact you over came even that much was impressive for a mortal."She shook her head "But I digress, before being trapped in this young mortals body I could only apply my particular brand of magic to the slow acting uses." Purple fire shrouded her shoulders like a fur coat "But now, now after this years in this childes body with nothing to do but analyze ever emotion every feeling this boy had I understand. I understand the essence of physical objects or the forces outside the fade and I thanks to this mortal mind I can now affect even the fastest of objects." Camille bowed to him "So I thank you tainted mage, I thank you for the power I have gained" her eyes glowed "And when I get free I will be more powerful and any that walk this realm" she tilted her head "Except for possible Flemeth but she is another story entirely."

Malcolm felt sick and decided to leave this monster before she could affect him more, the black tear opened and he stepped through. His son was waiting from him when he awoke, "Father I believe you have something to tell me" his son said plainly.

Malcolm looked away " I hoped this day would never come, even thought I knew it would" Garrett tilted his head "Well since it had happened it might be a good time to tell me what the hell is going on." He paused for a second "Or if you prefer I'll run around screaming I have a demon in my head your choice."

Malcolm let out a laugh "You think I am joking? I got the perfect clothes for it and everything"

"What clothes" Malcolm asked "It would be better to go naked, get more attention that way"

"Plan's revised father, now spill"

Malcolm nodded "All right, sit down and I'll tell you but neither your mother or siblings know and I would prefer to keep it that way." Garrett nodded "It started of the day of your birth"

The next several hours were spent with Malcolm explaining exactly what happened one the day of Garrett's birth and just who was residing in his soul. His son listened in silence absorbing all the new and downright frightening information calmly and without speaking. When his father was finished he looked at Garrett waiting for a reaction finally his son looked up "I'm glad it was me and not Bethany" he said simply.

Out of all the things Malcolm had expected to here, anger, sadness, shock, disbelief he did not expect to hear acceptance in his son's voice. "Are you ok" he asked

"No I'm freaking terrified dad, but right now I can take comfort in the fact that my sister does not share my fate."

Malcolm enveloped his son in a hug "Do not worry, my son you are not a demon and will never be one."

Garrett shivered "How do you know dad?" he whispered "How do you know I will never become that thing?"

That was an easy answer "Because you are my son." He said with a pride and fierceness that would challenge the world if need be.

* * *

They Hawke family moved on later that day now on the run from Templers and Crows but they stayed together and held one another close and finally they found refuge in Lothering where they stayed for the next eight years. During that time Malcolm died and later Carver determined to get out of his brothers shadow joined the Royal Army. They kind of backfired when Garrett followed suit to keep his bother safe, it set that stage for what would come to be known to history as the story of the Champion. But what difference will the addition of a darkness that was there when the world was first formed? Only time will tell.


End file.
